Sixers' Jrue Holiday Enjoys All-Star Homecoming
LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) – Second-year point guard Jrue Holiday was the 76ers' lone representative at this year's NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, returning to his hometown to play for the sophomores in the Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam on Friday night.
Holiday was born and raised in Los Angeles and spent one year at UCLA before he was picked by the Sixers in the 2009 draft.
Holiday posted 10 points, dished out four assists and added a steal in 17 minutes in the sophomores' 148-140 loss to the rookies.
View photos of Jrue Holiday at the 2011 NBA Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam.
Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins had 33 points and 14 rebounds, Washington's John Wall racked up 22 assists in the rookies' come from behind victory.
All-Star Blake Griffin bounced back from an elbow to the nose to score 14 points for the rookies, but the Clippers' young superstar watched his team's late surge from the bench despite thousands of children in the Staples Center crowd chanting, "We want Blake!"
Los Angeles native James Harden scored 30 points and San Antonio's DeJuan Blair had 28 points and 15 rebounds for the sophomores.
The newcomers won the lighthearted contest between the NBA's best rookies and second-year players for the second straight year.
Holiday and the Sixers will return to action on Wednesday night when Wall, the MVP of this year's Rookie Challenge, leads the Wizards into Philadelphia.
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